Celebrating National Recycling Week (NRW) from 10-16 November 2014, Planet Ark’s Head of Campaigns, Brad Gray, said:
“It’s surprising that more than half of Australians wrongly believe that aerosol cans can’t be recycled. In fact, they are made from fully recyclable steel or aluminium. Even though many people use aerosols everyday for products like deodorants they still hold on to old ideas. [Planet Ark’s] research shows people report having been told to keep aerosol cans out of the recycling, which is a hangover from the past. Once they are empty it is perfectly safe to put them in the recycling.”
View the NRW community service announcement
Find out if your Council accepts empty aerosols (most do!)
Read what Planet Ark has to say about aerosol recycling
Read what Can & Aerosol News says about the campaign
.... and continue to read this webpage to find out more how you can recycle your empty aerosols.
National Recycling Week community service announcement
Each year, Australians use about 11.5 aerosol cans each. Aerosol recycling is well-established in Australia and helps reduce landfill waste and greenhouse emissions.
The majority of councils accept empty* aerosols in their kerbside collection schemes and at waste disposal sites. In fact, around 90% of Australians are able to recycle their empty post-consumer aerosols. To find out if your council accepts aerosols, call them, visit www.recyclingnearyou.com.au, or ring the Recycling Hotline on 1300 733 712.
*To dispose of any full or part-full aerosols, contact your council for details of Household Hazardous Waste collections and drop-off sites in your area (NOTE: only EMPTY aerosols should be placed in your recycling bin!)
Place your empty aerosol cans straight into your recycling bin, along with other aluminium or steel household packaging. Make sure that you do not pierce or squash them!
Most of us are good at recycling kitchen and household aerosols, but don't forget to recycle those empty personal care aerosols that you have thrown away in your bathroom or bedroom bins!
Remember that only empty aerosols should be put in your recycling - here is a helpful video on how to recycle your aerosols!
To dispose of any full or part-full aerosols, contact your council for details of the Household Hazardous Waste collections that it offers (only EMPTY aerosols should be placed in your recycling!)
Check out this helpful video on aerosol recycling - click here.
Recycling needs all the encouragement and support it can get! Research undertaken for the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation ('APCO') estimates that only around 56% of post-consumer metal packaging (including aerosols) was recovered in 2019-20, with the balance going to landfill. Are you playing your part by recycling your empty aerosols?